Apple

It’s far from surprising, but the trend at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2014) is packing as many pixels as possible into the devices we love. TVs, tablets, monitors, you name it and it is getting a higher resolution screen. That’s great to see in a showroom, but if the prices are astronomically high the average consumer is left wanting what they can’t have. Luckily for us, that’s all changed this week. Let’s take a look at some of the most affordable, pixel-tastic items announced at CES 2014. Read the rest of this entry »

iTunes gift cards are one of the most popular gifts each holiday season. They are a great way to buy music, TV shows, movies, and apps. If you just got one there is a quick and easy way to redeem your value so you can start enjoying all the iTunes Store has to offer.

1. Scratch off the label on the back of the gift card
2. Open the iTunes app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch
3. Hit ‘Redeem iTunes Gift Cards’
4. Sign into the iTunes Store using your Apple ID password
5. Choose ‘Use Camera’ (You can also choose ‘You can also enter your code manually’)
6. Make sure your code is visible to the camera
7. The balance of the gift card should be available to you immediately
8. PROFIT!!!

Of course you can still redeem your gift card the old fashioned way, via iTunes on your Mac or PC. Whichever way you decide, let us know what you will be purchasing from iTunes in the comments and on Twitter! Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve been reading MBT for a while, you know that I use an iPhone as my primary device. I switched over from a Blackberry (what was I thinking?) in October 2011. I loved my iPhone 4S for the 11 months that I had it but I convinced myself I needed to upgrade to the iPhone 5 in September 2012. I bought it unsubsidized (ouch!) in order to keep my unlimited data with Verizon. I was truly happy with the iPhone 5. The screen was bigger and brighter, it was unbelievably light compared to previous smartphones, and the processor was incredibly ‘snappy’. Flash forward another 12 months and I was sure I was going to sit the iPhone 5s out. That is until I was offered a family member’s own upgrade which wouldn’t affect my unlimited data. Now after using the 5s everyday for the past 3 months am I still happy I upgraded?

First let’s start off by saying that if you have an iPhone 4S or older, you want to switch over to iOS from Android, or are in the market for your first smartphone, I highly recommend the 5s. It’s a beautifully made phone with incredible processing power that only a handful of other handsets can even compete with. Here are my observations after using the iPhone 5s for 3 months: Read the rest of this entry »

If exercising more often is going to be your New Year’s Resolution you’re in luck, because Nike has just updated its Nike+ Running app to Version 4.5.0 today. The big new feature is Nike+ Coach, which helps you train for an upcoming race suited to your ability.

You choose the distance that is right for you (5k, 10k, half marathon or marathon) and your experience level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) and the app will customize a program that’s right for you. The app will send you daily reminders to help keep you motivated and even give you some coaching tips in order to help you run faster than ever before.

Whether you are a person who is engulfed in the Nike+ ecoystem or you are new to running, the Nike+ Running app and Nike+ Coach are a great option for you!

The iPad Air and Retina iPad mini are incredible devices. The 64-bit A7 processor in each is more than capable or running the absolute best mobile apps on the market today. But with over 1 million iOS apps to choose from it’s hard to know where to start. Here is a list of five must have apps every iPad owner should download:

Flipboard (Free)

Flipboard is the best, most beautiful personal news aggregator for the iPad. Once you create an account you simply choose what type of news stories you want to read about. For example, I have chosen Sports, Travel, Technology, and Business with many more options available. You can even link your social networking accounts and view all your feeds and photos in Flipboard’s beautiful magazine like layout. There are also some new features like saving items to your own personalized ‘magazine’ for viewing later. You can easily spend hours within Flipboard and never be bored.

Netflix (Free)

While the iPad has come a long way in terms of content creation, its strongpoint is still content consumption, i.e. watching videos. If you have a Netflix subscription (and really, who doesn’t these days?) make sure to download the free iOS app. The app basically turns your iPad into a television anywhere you have an internet connection. This is great when you are on vacation, but I find myself

One of the best reasons to own an iPhone is the App store. Apple now boasts over 1 million apps, up from 900,000 in June. Not only are these apps useful but many iOS apps are designed beautifully. While Android and their Google Play store have caught up in terms of number of apps, Apple’s App Store is still where developers take their product first.

Whether you just got your first iPhone or are just looking for new apps to bring excitement to your iOS experience, here are my 5 favorite apps for the iPhone 5s.

Tweetbot 3 ($2.99)

Tweetbot 3 is far and away my favorite 3rd party Twitter client. While the official Twitter for iPhone app received a fresh coat of paint when iOS 7 was released, it still doesn’t hold a candle to Tweetbot. Tweetbot allows for easy switching between multiple accounts by tapping on your avatar in the upper left hand corner. This works well for those that want to monitor a business’s account along with a personal account. When Tweetbot 3 was released its primarily white background bothered some users. It did bother me a bit when I would check my feed in bed with the lights off. Enter update 3.2 and Night Theme. This theme allows for optimized reading in dark situations. You can quickly change between Night Theme and the Default White theme by swiping up and down the screen with two fingers like a light switch. This is the Twitter app made for the power user but can still be enjoyed by those who just want to scroll their feed. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s not easy being a geek. Every year we salivate over the latest technology and we need want to have it all. But unless you rob a bank or take a second mortgage out on your home it’s just not possible. We have to pick and choose what we want the most. Here’s a list of some of the best products out there and how you can get the best deals this holiday season.

Streaming Player

By now we all have HD televisions. Many of us don’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars a month on cable bills. That’s where Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast come in. All of these products allow users to watch a wide array of programming on their TVs. The Roku and Apple TV are very similar as you plug a HDMI chord into them and connect them to your television. Chromecast works a little differently. It’s basically an HDMI dongle that you plug into your TV that allows you to stream content from your smartphone or tablet.

So which one should you buy? If we’re going by price the Chromecast is the clear cut winner at only $35. If you’re lucky you can find a retailer or two that is offering it for $30 this holiday season. The Roku is the option with the most content to offer. You can get hundreds of channels and even play games like Angry Birds if you are so inclined. You can get the Roku 3 for $99 or if you don’t mind last year’s model the Roku 2 can be had for $79.99. Last but not least is the Apple TV. If you are tied into the Apple ecosystem in any way look no further. Being able to Airplay your iPhone or iPad’s screen straight to your TV is fantastic. Apple TV is also $99 but I recommend picking up an Apple certified refurbished model for $75. It comes with the same 1 year warranty and you save 24% to boot. Read the rest of this entry »